Hilarious and Fun, it is one of the best TV Inspired Games to ever come out.
Xiaolin Showdown for the PSP is a game that showcases the best aspects of the show. It has the voice acting from the actors of the show. It has the humorous dialogue that fans know Jack Spicer for, it has the unrelenting nagging of Wu Ya, and it even has the constant chattering of Do Jo. Though, the only thing missing is Master Fong speaking, everything else is present. The game opens up with the exact same opening from the very first episode of Xiaolin Showdown. I had never seen it before so I was quite pleased that it opened up with what looked like, it could have been a UMD of the first episode. After the introduction the game took gamers directly into its world. Gamers get to choose between playing as 1 of 6 characters (or rather 1 of 4 characters (Jack Spicer and Chase Young are unlockable). They also get the chance to look at what attacks each player does and how to do those moves, though many are simply a combination of the Triangle and the Square. After choosing this they can go to the Training Room in order to receive a simple yet entertaining tutorial on how to play or they can go to the Temple Garden. The game focuses on having players attempt to gather as many Shen Gong Wu as possible and prevent evil from taking control of the world. Gamers will first compete against Jack and his numerous Jack Bots (and even their updated models, Blade Bot for example, Or Jack Bot 2000). The main goal is for players to get the pieces of the scroll that Do Jo has lost. When they appear, Jack will unleash his Jack Bots in order to try to distract you. After all three are gathered, the Shen Gong Wu will appear. Players then get to this and go into the Xiaolin Showdown. There is a different Showdown each time, so players will experience a different one per level. They range in difficulty; some are easy while others are hard. In these Showdowns players must try to either be the last one standing or get the most points pending what it says. Players go against the other Xiaolin Monks and against Jack. If the player wins, they get to get a Shen Gong Wu from their opponents or if they lose then they will lose one of their Shen Gong Wu.
There are many of these levels and they get more difficult the further they go. With environments that can prove harmful and the constant dialogue, players will never grow tired of it.
Control Wise: The game excels in virtually every aspect. My only qualm, however, is about the targeting system. Players can lock on to their targets and most of their attacks will focus on the bot or on whom they choose. In the main story, it is difficult to keep switching targets and to avoid hitting the other monks. Everything else is simple button pressing and their combos. Players can use their Shen Gong Wu at anytime, or rather, at anytime that they have the power to. Players can also use various power ups in order to speed up themselves or provide some other effect,
Graphics: The game is fairly good, it isn’t super but it does get the job done. The models are my only qualm here, as they are usually too thin or ugly up close. However, in the gameplay this isn’t noticed because of the constant action. Special effects look marvelous though.
Sound: Sound is perfect. The characters all have their respective voices from the show. When ever they speak they also have the emotional emphasis on par with what they have said. Even more, is that it retains its hilarity and serious at times too. The sound is really the best point of the game.
Replayable: This game is quite replayable as each time provides a different experience. There is a ranking system in the game in which players can try to vie for more points by doing more carnage. They can also play wirelessly with their friends and actually play the whole game. Furthermore, players can play with different Shen Gong Wu to use, so it will be exciting for that fact alone. My Conclusion: Xiaolin Showdown is truly a spectacular TV Inspired game. It executes everything nicely and retains the value and comedy that people know the show for. The game is great enough to play in short bursts. The Shen Gong Wu and Showdowns are another high point of the game and can be played alone as well. This is a game of the ages and makes any TV gamer proud.